Amid the ongoing Vote Chori campaign, in a striking display of dissent, opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc, including prominent Congress figures like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest in the Parliament premises on August 12, wearing white T-shirts featuring the image of Minta Devi, a purported 124-year-old first-time voter from Bihar. The T-shirts, emblazoned with “124 Not Out” on the back, symbolized allegations of widespread irregularities in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, highlighting what the opposition claims is systemic voter fraud and “vote theft” across multiple seats.
This creative form of protest drew attention to discrepancies in electoral rolls, where Minta Devi’s entry listed her as a new voter despite her advanced age, prompting questions about the integrity of the democratic process. The demonstration, which followed a similar march the previous day that led to detentions, underscored the opposition’s commitment to safeguarding constitutional principles, particularly the foundational right of “one man, one vote.” As parliamentarians gathered outside the Parliament House, the T-shirts served as a visual critique of the Election Commission’s handling of voter data, with leaders arguing that such errors are not isolated but part of a larger, organized effort to manipulate elections at a national level.
Minta Devi, a resident of Bihar, has emerged as the face of the opposition’s campaign against voter list manipulations after her details appeared in a draft electoral roll during the SIR process. According to data cited by Rahul Gandhi, Minta Devi is recorded as 124 years old—nine years older than India’s documented oldest person—and tagged as a first-time voter, raising immediate red flags about the accuracy and transparency of the revision exercise. The opposition alleges that her case is emblematic of thousands of similar anomalies, including fake names, incorrect addresses, and duplicate entries that could disenfranchise genuine voters or enable fraudulent voting. Rahul Gandhi, speaking to the media outside Parliament, emphasized that this is not confined to one seat but affects numerous constituencies in Bihar and potentially beyond, describing it as a “systematic” operation known to both the Election Commission and the opposition. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, donning the T-shirt during the protest, reinforced the narrative by stating that the opposition is actively opposing “vote chori” (vote theft), pointing to voter lists riddled with fictitious entries. Sources indicate that Minta Devi’s story was first highlighted in Rahul Gandhi’s presentation on the issue, where he showcased evidence of such irregularities, claiming that the opposition now possesses concrete proof that was previously lacking.
Rahul Gandhi, as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, delivered a pointed critique of the Election Commission, asserting that it has failed in its duty to enforce “one person, one vote,” a cornerstone of the Indian Constitution. In his address to reporters, he urged patience, saying, “Wait a few more days, keep patience. It’s not just one seat; there are many seats. This is being done at a national level.” He further accused the Commission of being aware of the manipulations but inaction, vowing that the opposition would continue to protect the Constitution without relenting.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra echoed these sentiments, explaining that the T-shirts were a direct response to the SIR process’s flaws, with Minta Devi’s image serving as a potent symbol of electoral mismanagement. Sonia Gandhi, the Congress parliamentary party chairperson, joined the march, adding weight to the protest that included other INDIA bloc MPs like Mallikarjun Kharge. The leaders collectively argued that the SIR, intended to update voter rolls, has instead led to the deletion of legitimate voters and the addition of bogus ones, potentially skewing upcoming elections. Rahul Gandhi reiterated that countless such cases exist, teasing more revelations with his phrase, “The picture is still remaining,” indicating ongoing investigations and future disclosures.
Congress Whip in Lok Sabha and Virudhnagar MP Manickam Tagore said, “The level of the Election Commission’s failure can be understood under the tenure of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The EC has become a department of the BJP. They have completely failed. For example, in the electoral rolls, there is one Minta Devi, who is 124 years old! We want a discussion on this subject as to how the EC got subsumed by the BJP. There is a fake voter list, fake names and fake addresses. We want to expose this, and as a mark of protest, we are wearing this T-shirt. They are not letting the House function and are putting the blame on us.”
Unprecedented Public Support in 24 Hours
The campaign against “vote chori” (vote theft) has transformed into a massive public movement, galvanizing citizens to protect India’s democratic integrity. In the last 24 hours alone, over 1.5 million support certificates have been downloaded, and more than 1 million missed calls have been recorded, reflecting widespread public outrage over alleged voter list irregularities. This surge in participation underscores the true picture of India’s democracy, suppressed voices rising through this campaign to demand accountability. Citizens are urged to visit http://votechori.in/ecdemand or give a missed call to 9650003420 to ensure no case of vote theft goes unnoticed. The movement calls for sustained support and widespread sharing of this message to reach every corner of the nation, uniting people in the fight to save democracy.